Hungarian cardinal denies pre-conclave horsetrading with Parolin

 VATICAN CITY – Leading Papabili Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle lost some ground in the race for St Peter’s throne Monday while Italian Latin patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Hungarian conservative Peter Erdo gained momentum, according to Vatican sources quoted by Il Messaggero’s respected Vatican reporter.

 The outcome of the Conclave due to atart Wednesday afternoon to elect the successor to the late Pope Francis remains highly uncertain due to a shortage of heavyweight candidates and confusion among cardinal electors, many of them coming from far-countries and unable to speak Italian, according to Il Messaggero’s Franca Giansoldati.

 Under the rules of the conclave pre-conclave horsetrading deals are forbidden on pain of excommunication and Cardinal Erdo took the unusual step Sunday of strongly denying, through the Hungarian ambassador, persistent speculation in diplomatic circles that he had promised Parolin that his supporters would vote for the former secretary of state in exchange for pledges on doctrinal matters.

 Hungarian Ambassador to the Holy See Eduard Handsburg said in a post on X that any such speculation regarding Cardinal Erdo is “totally false.”

 The statement marked the first such use of social media in a pre-conclave phase.

 Meanwhile New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan commented that President Trump had “cut an ugly figure” by posting a picture of the US head of state as pope in papal robes.

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